Why Marvel Rivals desperately needed Thor nerf

Thor has been one of the most popular heroes in Marvel Rivals ever since the game’s release. He’s also consistently ranked among the top heroes in terms of win rate in competitive play, which is why NetEase decided to nerf him. This adjustment will come in Season 2.5, launching on May 30, and many players are already expressing their frustration.

While Thor mains are understandably upset, the nerf is a logical decision. We’ll have to wait and see how he performs after the changes, but it’s safe to say his effectiveness will be reduced, though maybe not as drastically as many in the community fear.

Thor is getting a big nerf in Marvel Rivals

Thor functions as a hybrid tank in Marvel Rivals. He’s not as effective as creating space or protecting his teammates as other Vanguards, but he can still do a great job. The God of Thunder plays more like a melee DPS with excellent survivability, making him a versatile pick for many team compositions.

With the launch of Season 2, Thor received a significant mobility buff, which might have pushed his power level too high. Although he lost a bit of health at the beginning of the season, Thor’s enhanced mobility allowed him to dominate opponents with ease. He uses his movement boost not only to peel enemies off his teammates but also to pressure and eliminate backline targets. This combination has made him one of the highest win-rate heroes this season.

Once Season 2.5 comes out, Thor will be drastically nerfed. His Hammer Throw ability will become a regular ability that requires no Thorforce, yet has a six-second cooldown. The Vanguard will generate one Thorforce for every throw, which will deal 45 damage (down from 70) and 20 damage on its return path (down from 30).

To make the situation worse, Thor’s survivability will take a massive hit as well. For every Thorforce consumed, the hero will not get 75 Bonus HP, instead of 100. Finally, his maximum Bonus Health will be capped at 150 in Season 2.5, down from 200.

Sounds like a lot? Well, it may not be.

Thor deserves to be nerfed

According to the official stats, Thor ranks 10th among all heroes in competitive win rate on console with 52.26%. His win rate on PC is slightly higher, 52.95%, ranking him ninth. Now, the general opinion is that Thor is fantastic in low-ELO lobbies where he can easily dominate, while his strength fades away in higher ranks. However, that is absolutely not correct.

As of May 23, the Vanguard is great in every rank, from Bronze to Eternity. Let’s take a look at his win rate on PC in every rank:

Rank	Win rate
Bronze	53.43%
Silver	52.95%
Gold	52.91%
Platinum	52.63%
Diamond	52.38%
Grandmaster	52.22%
Celestial & Above	49.70%

As the stats show, Thor has a consistent win rate across almost all ranks. He only takes a bigger dip in Celestial and Eternity, which is the only rank that has him in sub-50-percent win rate. Considering that only a small percentage of players are ranked in Celestial or higher ranks, this nerf shouldn’t be a big problem.

Once Season 2.5 comes out, Thor should be less powerful, which should reduce his win rate, allowing him to be on par with other Vanguards. The nerf will force Thor mains to adjust their playstyle and be less aggressive. However, there is no doubt that it was necessary to reduce his effectiveness on the battlefield.